Saturday, December 28, 2013

What's better to celebrate the New Year than the end of the world? 'Tis the Season of the Apocalypse is a week long blitz and review tour with awesome prizes, interviews, guest posts, and more!

The tour will also have a two-week long giveaway, where winners can get a signed paperback copy of Dawn of the Apocalypse and $10 Amazon cash. All tour hosts will get a free ebook copy of Dawn of the Apocalypse, along with the chance to win an autographed copy of Dawn of the Apocalypse and a $5 Amazon gift card!

SO hurry up and enter, before it's too late!

January 1, 2000. May 21, 2011. December 21, 2012 These are just a few of the days humans prophesied as bringing catastrophic events that would end the world. We predicted nuclear warfare. Drastic climate change. A call from God. We were wrong. Cue the gargoyle invasion—laboratory bred mutants designed to slaughter humans. When the government goes AWOL and gargoyles are swarming by the hundreds, it's up to the citizens of the United States to regroup and save themselves. Meet Cliff Matthews, a teenage boy separated from his entire family with the exception of his younger sister, whom he is desperate to keep alive. Along the quest to save their lives, he encounters people who aren't all that they seem. Everyday's a battle, but if he can't trust his own species, where does that leave his family? And we can't forget the man who may be willing to sacrifice Cliff's life, if it means world domination. In terms of doomsday, no one could've seen this coming.

Excerpt!

Angel’s chest was rising and falling rapidly as the gargoyles circled them silently. Hunter had never wanted something more in her entire life than to live for another day. She couldn’t even entertain the idea of little Angel being gobbled up by the big bad gargoyle…

She squeezed her eyes shut. Please, please, please, she chanted silently over and over.

She knew the type of wound a scratch had given Cliff. What type of pain would they concur on her entire body? Would they eat her right away or save her for dinner? Would they pluck out her limbs and eat them one by one?

Time stopped as the door creaked open. The gargoyles soundlessly cloaked themselves back in the shadows. The stairs groaned as someone walked down the stairs without a care in the world. Hunter could practically hear the gargoyles lick their lips.

She wanted to cry out and warn the person. But it was beyond her control.
That’s what you get for walking down the stairs so loudly. That’s what you get for walking in the dark during a damn invasion, she reasoned. But her heart was saying something else.

The person reached the bottom of the stairs. The gargoyles uniformly shifted through the shadows. “Hey…” he said suspiciously.

He had realized his danger a second too late. He broke into a run, but the gargoyles would be on him in a second. And he’d be dead.

“C’mon, sweetie.” Hunter whispered to Angel, crawling out from under the stairs. Ignoring the cries of agony, pain, and sorrow, she raced up the stairs. The wood banged against her ankles, but she didn’t stop. There was the cruel sound of cracking. Hunter shielded Angel’s eyes from the scene and dared to look behind her.

The gargoyles were circled around the man. The predominantly bigger gargoyle bit his neck. A gush of blood spewed across its face. The man’s eyes still stared at her, his mouth formed in an O, as if he was trying to speak to her.

“I’m so sorry.” She choked.

She hurried up the steps, slamming her body into the door. The light washed over her body, as did her relief. But her nerves did not settle.

Enter the Giveaway!

About the Author:

Being the daughter of an accomplished author, E.S.P. grew up listening to stories and telling her own to classmates. After writing for several years and even publishing some short works, she finally decided to take the plunge to write (plus finish!)a full length novel. Thus, Dawn of the Apocalypse was born. When she's not writing, she's either reading books, blogging at whoistheserialreader.blogspot.com, or watching eighties movies.

Friday, December 27, 2013

With tears and a tight hug, Rylee Everley’s dad left for
Afghanistan with the Army Reserve. Since his deployment, her mom has been
distant, her sisters are constantly fighting, and Rylee, at only thirteen years
old, has to be the glue to keep them together. While her mother stays locked in
her room, Rylee has been forced into the role of parent.

Now, two years later, a freak accident involving a bus at
school promises to restore some normality to her family. In spite of not
knowing how their father is, her mother is happy and her sisters don’t seem to
fight as much as they used to. Rylee herself is seeing more of her friends and
is even trying to sort out her own feelings about Brock Parker. However,
something dark threatens to disrupt that normality for personal gain, and that
darkness is willing to break every rule to get what it wants.

Author
Bio:

S.M. Knowles was born in Elmira, New
York where she was swept away in a whirlwind to the Land of Oz—Independence,
Kansas. Her parents were relocating for working opportunities and decided that
this would be the perfect place to start new roots. Little did she know that
this place would contribute to the inspiration for the first book she wrote in
her Rylee Everley Series.

While growing up, S.M. would travel
the roads around her house while imagining she was somewhere else. Her
imagination would take her everywhere, making the long hot summer days seem
shorter throughout her fantasies.

At the age of twelve, she decided to
write her first book. Filled mostly with dialog, she filled up one-hundred
pages, front and back. After taking the book downstairs to show her mom, and
persuading her to buy her more paper, she excitedly ran back to her room. As
she barreled through the door, S.M. tripped over items left on her floor, and
her papers came raining down in her room. Discouraged, she stood there in
tears, picking up her papers and throwing them in the trash. Her work had no
organization, no numbers on her pages, just a child fulfilling a joy that she
would put down and not pick up again.

When she became older, she
joined the military for something different. In that time, she was able to
explore many places and even met her husband in Iraq. After coming home, she
started her family in Arizona and went back to school, earning a Master’s
degree in Adult Education and Training.

Getting up, I walk over to the tree line. I don’t see anything
around, so I grab a rock and throw it to scare off any animals. Walking in
further, I call out, “Hello?” Everything is quiet. I wait a few more seconds.
Something feels off. Walking in a little further, I hear a branch break. I know
I didn’t step on anything, so something’s unquestionably out there. “Who’s out
here?” I yell. A big oak tree stands directly in front of me, right next to
him. “No, no, no, no,” I beg.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Archangels are extinct and the world is now inhabited by a half-human/half-angel race called Nephilim. But it’s been told that one Archangel remains – a child born of fire only known as The Legend.

21-year-old Nephilim Scarlett Porter is about to start her Angel training at the infamous Blackbell Academy, so she doesn’t have time to worry about dreams of mysterious dark angels. The last thing she expected was her dream angel to be Dyston Blackbell or that finding her was part of his mission – a mission Dyston is prepared to fail to keep Scarlett and the secret of who she is safe.

But, danger is closer to Dyston and Scarlett than they realize.

War is brewing, led by a group of Nephilim called The Lucifites, and they need The Legend to carry out their plans. With the help of their friends, the two must find the leader of the Lucifites and stop his plans for destruction. But will Dyston and Scarlett’s love survive what’s coming? How far will Scarlett go to save those she cares about the most?

ReviewFire and Ice was a great read.I was drawn in right away intrigued by the characters.We don't just have one hot book boyfriend,oh no the author gives us a handful of hot guys.But the two main guys that I can't decide between are the Blackbell brothers. Lakyn and Dyston are the epitome of bad boys.In the beginning you not sure if everyone is good or evil. There are just rumors of the Blackbells being evil. As the Nephilim arrive at the Academy,they soon form friendships and relationships that will be put to the test as things become more peril.Unknown to most of them,a plot is brewing that will cause some to betray the very ones who are depending on them. Friends will be lost,family torn apart,and land lost.But the very one who leads the fight has a past that will catch up with him. Can love save them all or will evil prevail? Some will be changed,some will be lost,and all will be thrown into the fight of their lives.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Every part of me yearns for Ryland and there hasn’t been a day that’s gone by that I don’t question if I made the right decision. Adjusting is something I should be used to by now but how can I do that when life has other plans?

When darkness consumes you, only true light can free you

Remembering how I existed before Araya came into my life and turned everything upside down has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I can’t stand to be round anyone and the feeling is mutual. But I’m ready to take back what’s mine. I’m ready to be whole again. But every decision has a choice and every choice has a consequence.

To find the grace in darkness, you must Dare to be BRAVE Dare to be STRONG Dare to be ALIVE

Archangels are extinct and the
world is now inhabited by a half-human/half-angel race called Nephilim. But
it’s been told that one Archangel remains – a child born of fire only known as
The Legend.

21-year-old Nephilim Scarlett
Porter is about to start her Angel training at the infamous Blackbell Academy,
so she doesn’t have time to worry about dreams of mysterious dark angels. The
last thing she expected was her dream angel to be Dyston Blackbell or that
finding her was part of his mission – a mission Dyston is prepared to fail to keep
Scarlett and the secret of who she is safe.

But, danger is closer to Dyston and
Scarlett than they realize.

War is brewing, led by a group of
Nephilim called The Lucifites, and they need The Legend to carry out their
plans. With the help of their friends, the two must find the leader of the
Lucifites and stop his plans for destruction. But will Dyston and Scarlett’s
love survive what’s coming? How far will Scarlett go to save those she cares
about the most?

L.L. Hunter is an Australian author
who began writing when she was fifteen or sixteen, originally song lyrics, but
then moved onto fanfiction when she was nineteen, having published over 20
stories online- One of which was nominated for an award. She has also written,
directed and starred in two original plays entitled, “No Frills Airlines:
Flight 123,” and the sequel, “No frills Airlines: Come Fly with Us.” The latter
of which was a musical.

She has studied everything from
veterinary nursing, forensic science and dramatic arts but has always known her
true calling to be writing.

Her hobbies include writing her
books, reading, singing, acting, directing, watching movies, 50’s fashion and
playing with her animals. When she is not writing she can be found reading
somewhere comfortable with one or both of her ‘furbabies’.

You can connect with L.L Hunter on
Twitter, (@llhunterbooks) Facebook, Goodreads, her blog
llhunter.blogspot.com.au, or her website www.llhunter.moonfruit.com

Sunday, December 22, 2013

What is this giveaway all about? Getting you -- the readers -- into the holiday spirit! Each day there will be a new prize pack being given away, loaded with awesome authors all united by the fantastic YA/NA Convention, UtopYA! We hope you'll love our prize packs, but that's not all that's being given away. To top off the holiday spirit, we're giving away TWO, that's right, TWO fully loaded Kindle HDs! Two lucky winners will receive Kindle HDs, loaded with EVERY book being given away in the giveaway prize packs! So what are you waiting for? Check out today's prize pack, and enter to win one of twenty-seven fantastic prizes! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! :)

Without further ado, here are the amazing books in the Day 22 Prize Pack after the jump!

The battle between Shadowed and Guard has brought
destruction and terror to Gate Seven and now Maggie wants revenge. As the only
after-life being who can save the souls from ultimate death Maggie comes face
to face with her own human body, preserved for a century, waiting for just this
moment to arrive.

Yet, how far will Maggie go to exact her revenge on
the Shadowed? And when she comes face to face with her past, how will she
survive the onslaught of memories she thought long gone?

For when the truth comes out all is not what it
seems and Maggie has finally run out of time... She must choose her destiny or
watch all she has perish in the fight for her life!

About the Author:

I've been writing and reading since I can remember.
My fondest memories were pushing mom out of the house to get the latest
Goosebumps installment. Even though I went to school for biology and currently
work in the medical field, I find time to write/read every day. Eventually my
persistence turned into my debut novel, Soul Taken, the first book in The Life
After trilogy published by Carina UK.

Outside of writing, I enjoy spending time with my
hubs, pup, and sometimes a good rom com.

Summary from
Goodreads:Shakespeare’s work features some of the
most memorable stories and characters ever created, yet for too many curious
readers the combination of ultra-dense dialogue and unfamiliar historical
settings make tackling the Bard’s work something between a tedious chore and a
confusing mess of bird-bolts and quondam carpet-mongers.

While it’s nearly impossible to replicate or improve on these works, it is
(thanks to their timeless nature) possible to make them more accessible to a
wider audience.

In this Young Adult retelling of one of William Shakespeare’s most memorable
plays, join C.E. Wilson as she breathes new life into Othello, the second book
in her series Shakespeare for Everyone Else.

About the
Author

C.E. Wilson
is currently living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband and her two
dogs and two cats. They are all the loves of her life. When she’s not writing
young adult fantasy novels, she enjoys writing short stories on her Deviant Art
page. She loves to write stories involving giants and little people (also known
as GT) and nothing helps her to write more than Coca-Cola and glazed doughnut
holes.Author Links:

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Ever since I have discovered this book review & blogging world, I have also discovered the "Indie-Authors". To be frank, quite a big percentage of my 2012/2013 favourites were from Indie Authors. So I have come up with this challenge with the hope of promoting Indie Authors and their works.

Points to Know:

1. Read and Review as many Indie (Self Published) Books as possible during this year.2. You do not have to be a blogger to participate. However, you have to post a review on some site in order to participate. It can be on Goodreads and/or Amazon and/or Barnes & Noble and/or Smashwords.3. If you are a blogger link up your permalink to the review posts. If you aren't a blogger, then link up the permalink to your reviews from whichever site you have chosen to post the review on.4. The books can overlap with other reading challenges. 5. Books read may be any form (audio, print, e-book).6. Post your links to your reviews each month to share with other participants.7. The challenge runs from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. Its never too late to Join In!How To Sign-Up and Join In:1. Choose a challenge level listed below.2. Create a post on your blog, in a group, or on a forum (where possible) to let others see what you’re aiming for (a predefined list of Authors/Books is optional).3. Grab the badge and place it in your sign up post. Then link back to b00k r3vi3ws.4. Grab the direct URL to your sign up post, not your blog, click the Linky List and enter your link.5. Once you review a book it would be great for you to share them by submitting them on the Review List.7. When you’re done it’s completion post time and you can share these on the completion/wrap-up List.

As the subject line suggests, I have some exciting news regarding the lovely and talented J. Lynn/Jennifer L. Armentrout! You probably know that her next book BE WITH ME will be coming out on February 4th. You also probably know it’s the official sequel to WAIT FOR YOU and it features Teresa (Cam’s sister) and Jase (Cam’s best friend). But what you most likely don’t know is that in theprint version only you will find an exclusive never-before-seenscene between Teresa and Jase that won’t exist in the e-book version. That’s right, if you can get your hands on a print copy of BE WITH ME, you will be privy to a super exclusive scene you can’t get anywhere else!

When
Parker’s mom is dreamnapped by the wicked Mab, it is up to him and Kaelyn to
save her. When they return to Dreams, they discover Mab isn’t their only
problem. Gladamyr has lost his powers and the only way to get them back is to
become what he fears the most—a nightmare.

SYNOPSIS:

In Book 1, The Dream Keeper, Parker and Kaelyn discovered that Dreams was a real
place that everyone visits while they sleep. An evil nightmare named Fyren took
control of the gateway to that world. Parker and Kaelyn teamed up with
Gladamyr, the only dream keeper to escape capture by Fyren, and together they save
Dreams from Fyren’s rule. After the defeat of Fyren the children return to
Awake to find Mab, Fyren’s next in command, has dreamnapped Parker’s mom.

The
story continues in Book 2, The Dreamstone,
as the children return to Dreams to save Parker’s mom. Finding her, however, is
not their only problem. Mab has waged a war on the Crossing and has sent an army
of dragons to bring it down, nightmares have been released from prison, and
Gladamyr has lost his powers to shape-shift. Parker, Kaelyn, and Gladamyr must
once again defy all odds to set things right and save Parker’s mom before it’s
too late.

In
Praise of THE DREAMSTONE:

“The Dreamstone, by Mikey Brooks, is a wild stallion
of a story: fast, thrilling, and unpredictable. I was hooked in chapter one. If
he can snare the attention of an old reader like me, he’ll have kids sneaking
this one into class underneath their text books…If this one isn’t a
kid-pleaser, I don’t know what is.” –Michelle Isenhoff, author of the Divided Decade Trilogy and the Taylor Davis Series.

“This really is a cracking novel.
Action-packed and spellbinding!”—Cas Peace, author of The Artisans of Albia series.

Mikey Brooks is a small child
masquerading as an adult. On occasion you’ll catch him dancing the funky
chicken, singing like a banshee, and pretending to have never grown up. He is
the author/illustrator of several books including the best-selling ABC
ADVENTURES: MAGICAL CREATURES and BEAN’S
DRAGONS as well as the middle-grade fantasy-adventure series THE
DREAM KEEPER CHRONICLES. His art can be seen in many forms from picture
books to full room murals. He loves to daydream with his three daughters and
explore the worlds that only the imagination of children can create. Mikey has
a BS degree in English from Utah State University and works full-time as a
freelance illustrator and cover designer. As a member of the Emblazoners,
he is one of many authors devoted to ‘writing stories on the hearts of
children’. He is also one of the hosts of the Authors’
Think Tank Podcast. You can find more about him and his books at: www.insidemikeysworld.com

Parker watched as the
ambulance with his mother inside drove away. He had expected the medics to
barrel down the street with sirens blaring and lights flashing, but instead
they drove calmly. The cold night air hurt his throat, at least, he told
himself it was the air. Whenever Parker tried to hold back his emotions he got
a pain way back in his throat. Kaelyn held his hand, but it didn’t really help.
All he could think about was Mab and how she’d taken his mom.

The
former ruler of Dreams was vicious and cruel. He had seen what she was capable
of when she cut the arm off Mentia, the psychotic clown that chased him and
Kaelyn through the vaults. The only thing that guy did was laugh at her. Parker
could only imagine the things Mab could do to his mom. Now that Fyren was gone,
Mab had a host of nightmares at her command. He shuddered, thinking about the
creatures he had seen during the battle in Éadrom.

“Parker,
we’ll find her,” Kaelyn said, trying to comfort him.

“How
are we supposed to do that?” he snapped. Kaelyn pulled back, and immediately he
felt bad. Heck, she had just lost everything she had ever owned—another gift
from the nightmares of Dreams. They had burnt down her house and almost burnt
the two of them in the process. Kaelyn had nothing. Not even a picture to
remind herself of her dead parents. Yet here she was, the one comforting him.
It wasn’t as if his mom was dead, she was just kidnapped, or dreamnapped. “Look,
I’m sorry.”

She
gave a smile. “It’s okay. Really. I understand.”

“Parker,”
his dad called from the car. Parker turned to see his dad was ready to leave. What a jerk! Parker glared at him.

His
dad lowered his cell phone for a second. “Look, I’ve talked it over with Zelda
and I want you to come and stay with me for a while—at least until your mom is
better.”

“No
thanks.” Parker turned his back.

“Parker,
I don’t have time to argue. Remember—I’m still your father.”

“You
sure act like it.”

“I’m
acting like it now.”

“You
can’t even get out of your car!” Parker shouted. “You can’t even put down your
freaking phone. Mom just went off in an ambulance, and you’re more concerned
with your stupid work. I’m staying here! I’m not going with you!”

“You’ve
got ten minutes to get a bag.” His dad went back to his phone, not giving a
sign he had heard a word Parker said.

“You
can stay with me. Where else are you going to go?” The second he said it Parker
wished he hadn’t; or at least tried to sound more tactful. He knew that Kaelyn
was handling the fire okay, but Zelda was on the brink of tears anytime someone
mentioned the fire or what she lost in it. “I’m sorry . . . really . . . .”

“Parker,
I understand, so please, don’t apologize.” Zelda tried to reassure him with a
smile. It didn’t really work. Her face was still smudged with black soot, and
there were visible tear lines down her cheeks. He at least had a place to go,
but Kaelyn and Zelda were homeless. “Your place is with your dad, our place is
. . . .”

“Where
are we going, Zelly?” Kaelyn asked. They waited for an answer but Zelda only
shrugged.

“Look,
if I have to go to my dad’s there’s no reason you can’t stay here. Really, my
mom wouldn’t mind. Anyway, it doesn’t matter where I sleep. I have to get back
to Dreams.”

Zelda
looked concerned. “Are you sure, Parker?”

“Dead
sure! My mom may be a cold hearted person in the courtroom, but she’s at least
human at home—well, when she’s not turning off my video games.”

Parker
looked at both Kaelyn and Zelda. He could tell having a place to stay tonight
brought them a little comfort, but he still wished he could stay. He thought of
his friend and physiatrist, Dr. Gates. He was like the father his own would
never be. He wished right now Dr. Gates were here. “Can you explain to Gates
what’s going on when he decides to get his butt over here?”